The Theater (1720) | Page 4

was ended. This is making our
Warfare too slight and ludicrous: He departed with more Grace, and,
like the memorable Type of his Prudence, Don Quixote de la Mancha,
where he perceiv'd his Sand was running out, he repented the
Extravagance of his _Knight-Errantry_, and ingenuously confess'd his
Family Name. He seem'd entirely dispos'd to dye in his Wits, and no
doubt, did so: tho' by Intervals, 'tis thought he was a little delirious,
talk'd of taking Coach to Fishmongers Hall, broke into imperfect
Sentences about Annuities and _South-Sea_, and mutter'd something to
himself of making Dividends of Ten per Cent at least six times a Year.
If Sir John appear'd by all the Actions of his Life a Friend to Mankind,
he certainly did so in a great Measure at his Death, by the charitable
Disposition of what he died possess'd. I have given an Abridgment of
his Will, that the World may see he left his Legacies only where they
were truly wanted: Neither Favour nor Prejudice had any Influence
over him in his last Minutes, but he had nothing more at Heart than the
Necessities of his Legatees.
'In Nomini Domini, Amen. I John Edgar, &c. Knight, being sound in
Body, but imperfect of Mind and Memory, do make this my last Will,
&c.
'Item, As to such personal Estate which I have the good Fortune to
leave behind me, I give and dispose thereof, as follows: And, best, I
give and bequeath all and singular my Projects to the Society of

Stockjobbers, Share and Share alike, because I am sure they will be
never the better for them.
'Item, I give and bequeath all my Right, Property and Share in the
_transparent Bee-hive_ to my indulgent Friend and Patron, his Grace
the Duke of ----, because he has taken such a particular Fancy to it.
'Item, I give and bequeath the full Profit of all those Plays which I have
Intentions of writing, if it shall happen that I live to the Poor of the
Parish in which I shall dye: desiring it may be distributed by my
Executor, and not come into the Hands of the Church-wardens.
'Item, I give and bequeath my Goosequilt, with which I demolish'd
Dunkirk, to such Person as shall appear most strenuous for the Delivery
of Port Mahon and Gibraltar to the Spaniards.
'And as to such Qualifications wherewith I am endow'd, which have
always serv'd me in the Nature of personal Estate, I dispose thereof as
follows; First, I give and bequeath my Politicks to the Directors of the
Academy of Musick, my Religion to the Bishop of B----, my Eloquence
to the most distrest Author in Grubstreet, who writes the full Accounts
of _Murthers & Rapes_, and Fires, and my Obscurity to somebody that
is inclin'd to turn Casuist in Divinity.
'Item, I give my Beauty to Mr. Dennis, because he had a Mind to steal it
from me while I was alive.
'Item, I give my Wits to my Friends at _Button's_, my Good Manners to
the Deputy Governors of Drury Lane Theatre; and my Charity to the
married and unmarried Ladies of the said Theatre; and lest Disputes
should arise about the Distribution thereof, it being too little for them
All, my Desire is, that they be determin'd in their Shares by Lot.
'And I make and appoint Sir John Falstaffe, Knight, my full and whole
Executor, and residuary Legatee, desiring him to continue my Paper of
the Theatre, but after his own Stile and Method; and desiring likewise
that the Sum of Forty Shillings may be given to the Boys of the Charity
School of St. Martin
in the Fields, to write me an Elegy any Time

within Eighteen Years after my Decease.'
He left several other Legacies to the Theatrical Viceroys, whose Interest
he had always so much at Heart, such as, his Humility, his Learning
and Judgment in _Dramatick Poetry_; but these being Things which
they always lived without, and which we are assur'd, they will never
claim, we thought it needless to insert them.
* * * * *
Printed for W. BOREHAM, at the Angel in _Pater-Noster-Row_, where
Advertisements and Letters from Correspondents are taken in.

Numb. XVII.
THE
THEATRE.
By Sir JOHN FALSTAFFE.
To be Continued every Tuesday and Saturday.
--_Animasque in vulnere ponunt._
Virg.
Tuesday, _April 12. 1720._
The Incident of a late Prize fought at one of our Theatres, has given me
some Occasion to amuse myself with the Rise, and Antiquity of
_Duelling_; and to enquire what Considerations have given it such
Credit, as to make it practicable as well in all Countries, as in all Times.
Religion and Civil Policy have ever declar'd against the Custom of
receiving Challenges, and deny that any Man has a Right,